


Fire Fox

by intaeresting



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, I originally wrote this when Season 2 was airing, Jealousy, Nathaniel is the Fox Miraculous, Nathaniel's a flirt, Nathaniel's superhero name is Feunard, Oblivious Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Original Character(s), Pre Season 2, Rewrite of an original fic, Season 3 characters will slowly be introduced as the story goes on, Slow Build, Trixx doesn't explain anything, adrienette - Freeform, nathanette, some lukanette
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22607308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intaeresting/pseuds/intaeresting
Summary: What if Nathaniel were to get the fox miraculous, instead of Alya?   This fanfiction will develop and explore Nathaniel's potential to becoming a hero.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Comments: 16
Kudos: 58





	1. A "Normal" Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I originally wrote this fanfiction in 2016 (The Red Fox). I recently reread it, and wanted to rework the idea. Despite all of the new characters, I still have such a soft spot for Nathanette. I've been super rusty with writing recently, so there might be some formatting and grammatical mistakes. Despite this, I hope that this rendition is better than the last!

It was a typical afternoon in Nathaniel’s dull school. The sun was shining bright into the classroom, as a calm breeze swept through the open windows and filled the room. He’d honestly kill for a window seat at the moment, to see the outside world and hopefully block out the boring lecture, but the view he currently had beaten any other view in Paris. Nathaniel’s heart fluttered, as he stared at the beautiful, raven haired girl two rows in front of him. She was casually doodling in her sketchbook, much like he does, as her best friend Alya occasionally whispered one liner jokes about Adrien Agreste into her ear. Quiet giggles were always heard from them. He loved seeing the way her bluebell eyes would light up as she laughed. Despite always having a huge crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, he never really made it apparent. Unfortunately for him, his akumatized form, The Evillustrator made it clear that he had feelings for her, and his attempts at wooing her ended in Marinette running away with Cat Noir. It was an overall disaster. What was he thinking?! Of course, she would never fall for someone like him, especially if they’ve never had a full conversation. He shouldn't have let Chloé get the better of him, because now his situation went from momentarily embarrassing, to forever embarrassing! He humiliated himself in front of Marinette to the point that he would probably never talk to her. On top of that, his idol Ladybug had to de-evilize him and even she saw how pitiful he was. Nathaniel scoffed, angered at himself for the reminder of his own stupidity, which caused him to crumple the current drawing of Ladybug he was working on. The "Evillustrator", which he formally called himself the Illustrator, used to be his alter ego that he used when drawing himself fighting alongside his heroes, but as usual, he let his negativity ruin more good things he thought about himself. It was still a sore subject for him, mostly because he knew that he ruined his chances with Marinette before he even really had one. Even though he knows that she would never like him back now, it hasn’t stopped him from daydreaming in class about what her and his future would be like. She’d probably be a successful fashion designer, while he’d probably be a failure of an artist-

“Nathaniel? Can you please read where Max left off?” Miss Bustier’s windchime-like voice interrupted Nathaniel’s thoughts. 

Sudden nervousness filled Nathaniel’s mind as the whole class looked at him, expecting him to read. God, he hated when attention was put on him. He could feel his face heat up, as he hurriedly flipped his book to the current page the rest of the class was on. 

“I...Uh...” Nathaniel quickly scanned the paragraphs, looking for the correct one. More embarrassment mixed with the nervousness, as he could only really guess which paragraph it was. Some of his classmates looked at him with hesitation, probably wondering when he’s gonna start reading. His hands stumbled on the page, the various words starting to clump together. He was stupid, he should’ve been attentive. “Miss? Can you please tell me where he left-" 

An irritating snicker from Sabrina interrupted him, and Chloé Bourgeois raised one of her blonde eyebrows, a foul grin spread across her face. 

“Guess Nathanitwat was in dreamland again!” Chloé hollered mockingly. Sabrina laughed alongside her, their laughs sounding like annoying, but ravenous hyenas. Luckily for him, none of the class was laughing with them, most of the students giving them dirty looks.

“Girls! Be quiet, and be respectful.” Miss Bustier scolded. “...And Nathaniel. You need to put the effort into paying attention in my class! Please see me after school. Alix, please read instead.” 

Nathaniel shrunk into his seat and groaned while Miss Bustier turned her attention back to the current reader. Marinette briefly looked at him, sympathy filling her eyes, before turning back to Alya. Yet again, he had to be the one to embarrass himself in front of the class and _her_ , **a g a i n**. He just wanted to disappear. Knowing that Miss Bustier probably forgot about him because he was hiding behind Ivan’s large frame, he buried his face into his arms and drifted off to sleep.

\---------------------------------------------

He was awoken by the sharp ringing of the school bell, signaling the day was indeed over. Nathaniel let out an exasperated sigh. He felt even worse, the anxiety still fresh in his mind. All he had to do was talk to Miss Bustier, then he could go home. He slowly lifted his head up, and one of his drawings was stuck to his face! He quickly ripped it off and stuffed it in his backpack with the rest of his scrapped sketches. Luckily, everyone else was too busy packing up to notice his awkward self. His eyes wandered back to Marinette, who currently was putting away her pencils carefully back into her case. How is everything she does so perfect?? She then suddenly squeaked, her sketchbook and supplies falling all over the floor. 

Nathaniel couldn’t really make out what happened, but he assumed Adrien turned around to talk to Marinette and surprised her, causing her to drop her things, based off the profuse apologies coming from Adrien as he helped Marinette scramble to grab all of the stray pieces of paper that fell onto the floor. Before she could pick up her sketchbook, Nathaniel saw a familiar pink nailed hand snatch it up. Chloé Bourgeois laughed hysterically, flipping through Marinette’s very personal fashion designs.

“Give it back, Chloé!” Marinette glared, her hand outstretched.

“These designs are ridiculous! It looks like something from a thrift shop.” Chloé sneered. 

Marinette frowned, annoyance expressing itself from Chloe’s words. Nathaniel felt his own face frown, as memories slowly creeped back into his mind. This is how he got akumatized. He really wanted to go down there, give Chloé a few words, and then see the smile return back to Marinette’s face as he gave her back her sketchbook. But, as much as he wanted to defend her, he knew it wasn’t his place. He was just the audience.

“Just give me my things back, please.” Marinette’s hand was still outstretched, hoping for the girl to just get bored of tormenting her and give her back her prized sketchbook.

“Why should I, Marinette Dupain-Cheng? If you think that these designs have any value, then you belong in a psychic ward!” Chloé cackled.

Nino angrily shook his head, but mainly focused on calming his very hot-tempered girlfriend down. Alya on the other hand was openly cussing out Chloé with clenched fists. 

“Lemme at her! She has no right to say those things to Marinette.” Alya tried to swing a punch, but Miss Bustier intervened. 

“What’s going on here?!” She demanded.

“Chloé decided to take something that wasn’t hers, and insult the designs in a very personal sketchbook, even though she has stolen those very designs before.” Adrien casually chimed in, standing up next to Marinette. 

Chloé looked in shock and anger at Adrien. “Adrikens! How dare you assume such preposterous things! If you think I’m going to steal from such a commoner as Marinette Dupain Cheng-“ Chloé abruptly shoved the book back into Marinette’s arms. “-Then you are mistaken!” Chloé yelled as she stomped off, Sabrina in toe. 

The few remaining students who watched the ordeal all started laughing, quietly teasing Chloe and Sabrina, while also giving Marinette and her friends a thumbs up for defending themselves. Nathaniel let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. His fear of Marinette being akumatized slowly dissipating. His akumatization affected him more than he thought.

“God, one day I’m gonna tear out her extensions. That girl is such a piece of work!” Alya gritted her teeth. However, her anger soon subsided to concern about her best friend. “Marinette, honey, are you okay?” Alya asked. 

“Y-Yeah!” Marinette plastered a fake smile. Nathaniel could see the blatant anger coming from her. He wished he could be next to her, telling her that there’s no need to waste anger of a person like Chloe. After all, there’s always a chance that something evil can feed off of those emotions. Luckily...or unluckily for him, a hand gently placed itself on Marinette’s shoulder, trying to calm her down. However, it was the opposite effect for Marinette, who quickly spun around and jumped back in surprise. 

"A-ADRIEN??” Marinette freaked out, seeming to forget that he was still there. 

Adrien quickly retracted his hand, not really knowing how to respond. “Sorry, I kinda forgot how jumpy you get.”  Marinette blushed, to Nathaniel’s displeasure. “But, don’t listen to Chloé, she’s just jealous about how great your designs are. Don’t give up! You have such creative concepts.” Adrien bashfully smiled, handing Marinette back the designs he picked up. 

“YOU-? PAPERS-? YOU SAW??” Marinette stumbled, frantically grabbing the papers away from Adrien.

“Yeeeup! No need to be ashamed. They’re on par with my father’s work.” Adrien chuckled in amusement. Alya and Nino exchanged smug glances as Marinette’s entire face turned red.

“ _THANKYOUFORSUCHANICECOMPLIMENTYOUREREALLYCUTEIMEANTNICEBYE_!” Marinette sputtered feverishly as she ran out the door, dragging Alya with her.

“She’s such a good friend.” Adrien stared longingly where Marinette left. Nathaniel cringed, banging his head on his desk. Adrien is just as clueless to Marinette's feelings, and even his own as he thought. 

“Me too bro, me too.” Nino called out to Nathaniel, as both he and Adrien walked out of the classroom. Soon, only Nathaniel remained with Miss Bustier.  After sitting through a long lecture about healthy focusing habits, Nathaniel was finally free from school. His legs felt weak beneath him after all those hours sitting, but he ran as fast as he could out of that awful building. He took a deep breath of fresh air, appreciating the warm afternoon. But like most things in his life, his peace didn’t last long. Three figures suddenly crashed through the sky, falling near Nathaniel. The students around him panicked and ran in all different directions. Nathaniel did the same, diving into a bush near the staircase and watched the scene unfold. The first figure that rose from the crash was an akumatized student, standing tall with a paint gun. He looked like a 90’s graffiti artist met a ghostbuster, with a contraption full of liquid on his back.

“I finally have you now. Give me your miraculous!” He spun around to the other two figures, Ladybug and Cat Noir, who were a tangled heap on the ground. The student pointed their paint gun at the superhero pair. 

Ladybug and Cat Noir remained frozen on the ground, unsure of what to do. Nathaniel felt his muscles tense, waiting for their next move. How could the two most powerful heroes in Paris be defeated this way? He didn’t want them to lose like this. Maybe...he can help somehow? He scrambled in his hiding spot, trying to find anything nearby to help the superheroes. But before his brain came up with anything, he heard a quiet but firm voice cut through the air. 

“Leave them alone, young man, you’ve caused enough trouble!” An old, short man stood across from the villain, his cane keeping him upright. His red, flower printed shirt really lowered his intimidation factor, but Nathaniel was still amazed by his captivating voice. He must have a lot of courage to confront an akuma like that. He wanted that courage too. 

“Beat it, old geezer. You’re just like Mr. Furnest. Your kind don’t like it when kids have fun!” The akuma turned his attention towards the old man. He then aimed his paint gun nonchalantly at the man, almost seeming as if he wanted to eliminate him out of boredom. Ladybug and Cat Noir looked horrified, but quickly recovered. 

“MAS- SIR!” Ladybug gasped in panic. “You need to leave immediately! It’s not safe for you!” 

Cat Noir kicked the akumatized victim in the face, but not before the victim squeezed the trigger. The paintball was heading straight towards the man! Even though the man looked calm, who knows what would happen if he was hit. Nathaniel’s heart was beating out of his chest, and with the rush of adrenaline, quickly ran from his hiding spot and pushed the man and himself out of the way, behind a garbage can. The paintball splattered onto an Adrien Agreste perfume ad, and melted the sign. 

Nathaniel took deep breaths, hoping to exhale all the nerves trapped in his body. Even though the fight was so close, it also felt so distant to him. Did he just do that?? How did he muster the bravery? Or was it just in the heat of the moment? The man stared kindly at him, holding his briefcase close. 

“That was very honorable of you, to put yourself in that situation.” The man spoke up in a quiet voice. Nathaniel felt pride swell in him and gave the man the best smile he could.

“I just wanted to keep you safe, sir.” He replied. 

Their brief conversation was again, cut short by their cover (the garbage can) melting like acid, and revealing themselves to the akuma victim. 

“Did you think I would forget about you?” The akuma growled in disdain. “It’s time for you to get paintballed.” 

“NO!” Ladybug and Cat Noir screamed. 

Nathaniel’s mind buzzed, looking for any way out of this situation. He needed to distract the akuma, but how? Time felt like it slowed, as Nathaniel analyzed his situation. Cat Noir activated his cataclysm and was charging towards the villain, however, by the time he reached them, the villain would have moved out of the way, and Cat Noir would destroy either Nathaniel or the old man. Nathaniel needed to pull him and the old man out of the situation so Ladybug can use her Lucky Charm. But how? Nathaniel looked around for anything that could obstruct the akuma’s view. His eyes darted to his satchel. Bingo! As time sped back up again, Nathaniel grabbed his satchel at lightning speed, throwing his papers in the akuma’s face. While the akuma was very temporarily confused, Nathaniel grabbed the old man’s arm and hurriedly dashed to the other side of his school building. 

Cat Noir’s hand flew by the area that Nathaniel and the old man were, as he lost his footing and rolled back on to his feet. He too seemed to be confused, wondering where Nathaniel and the man were, but relief also washed on his features when he realized the avoided situation. Ladybug, however, was following Nathaniel and the old man the whole time, her hard gaze never taken off of them. When Nathaniel looked back at her, she flashed Nathaniel a sweet, and grateful smile. Knowing that Master Fu was safe, she turned her full attention back to the akuma. 

Nathaniel walked to the park with the old man, leading him away from the fight. 

“You seemed to have saved me twice, young man.” The man nodded at him respectfully. Nathaniel noticed how keen his eyes are. “You have good observational skills, and use what you have around you to protect. I like that.” 

“It was nothing sir, I’m just glad that I managed to keep you in one piece.” Nathaniel flushed in embarrassment. He wasn’t used to be complimented.

“I think you will do perfectly.” The old man furrowed his brow in thought. “Yes, he is satisfactory.” 

Nathaniel looked at him in confusion at the sudden change of character. “I beg your pardon?” He asked.

“Ah, nothing. Have a good day, young man!” The old man waved, and walked off, leaving Nathaniel alone. He watched the old man slowly disappear across a street corner, before smiling to himself and turning around to go home.

_ “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!” _

Nathaniel looked up in surprise as a swarm of magical Ladybugs flew across the air, repairing all damage that the akuma has done. Satisfaction filled him, knowing that that battle concluded successfully. Ladybug and Cat Noir saved the day again, and he finally fulfilled a dream of his, which was to save someone’s life. His posture being a little straighter and his head facing up, Nathaniel decided to take the long way home, to admire the pleasant Paris evening. 


	2. A New Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel comes home, and a surprise arrives

Nathaniel’s feet dragged behind him by the time he arrived at his house. Come to think of it, he really shouldn’t have taken the scenic route home. His whole body ached from all the walking. Nathaniel quietly closed the door behind him, and headed towards the living room to greet his mother. 

“NATHANIEL! Where were you? I was worried sick!” His mother demanded. Nathaniel honestly expected her reaction to be this way. 

“Don’t worry mom. I just took the longer way back.” Nathaniel stretched, trying to somehow ease the pain in his muscles. 

“Never do that again! You could’ve been kidnapped with how small you are.” His mother fretted. Nathaniel rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed that his mother brought up how short he was. He understood that his mom’s worry was all in good heart, but her pointing out his insecurities didn’t help him much. 

“I’m okay mom, thanks for worrying.” He did his best to shake off his irritation. “Are there apple slices in the fridge?” 

His mother nodded, and sighed. “I’m sorry about being a worry wart Nath. I just want to make sure that you’re okay.”

“No need to apologize mom. I understand where you’re coming from. I’m gonna go upstairs and do my homework.” He smiled. He was kinda telling the truth. He may or may not had accidentally thrown his homework in the akuma’s face, but his mom didn’t need to know that.

“Alright, dear. AND DON’T LEAVE DIRTY PLATES IN YOUR ROOM!” Nathaniel’s mom called after him.

“Yes mooooom.” Nathaniel sarcastically shouted back. 

Nathaniel made his way to the kitchen, taking out his favorite snack from the fridge. The slices weren’t as crisp as he wanted, but at least the apple’s flesh didn’t brown. He took a bite, savoring the sweet flavor in his mouth. Feeling the apple’s moisture made him remember how thirsty he was, so he also got himself a glass of water before going upstairs into his room. 

Nathaniel’s room was pretty small, smaller than the average room in Paris. He really only had enough space for a desk, bed and mirror, which was all he really needed. He placed his empty satchel near the door, and settled himself comfortably on his bed. It felt so nice being in his own space. He set down his apples and water, and took out his phone. He texted Juleka for his missing homework, but she didn’t answer immediately like she usually does.

_She was probably out on a date with Rose._ Nathaniel thought to himself. 

He tossed his phone aside, not really worried about his homework, and looked out his window. The part of Paris he lived in was pretty quiet, and had a nice view of the park nearby. Since it was close to night, the street lamps turned on and lit up the streets. His neighbors around him started to turn on their lights as well, causing his whole neighborhood to feel warm against the cold colors of dusk. Nathaniel rarely had time to really appreciate his surroundings. If it weren’t for his mother, he’d probably go out at night and explore the area. Nathaniel loved imagining himself walking outside during the evenings. He never really imagined where he would be walking to, but the idea of a brisk night-time walk appealed to him. Unfortunately, wishing he could do something did nothing for him. The best he could really do was sketch out what he saw, so he won’t forget how magical everything felt in the moment. He sometimes has the worst memory, and this was something he didn’t want to forget. 

Nathaniel got up from his bed, and sat at his desk to draw. He was way better at drawing characters than scenery, but some practice would never hurt. He tried his best to replicate the perspective and lighting of the atmosphere in front of him, but he wasn’t satisfied with it. 

————————

“Uuuugh, it’s been an hour, and this still looks like crap.” Nathaniel complained to himself. He has a bad habit of being critical of his art, and giving up when it’s not to his standards. 

He decided to take a break, laying his head down on his desk. Maybe if he just had time to reflect, he could draw a lot better. Nathaniel closed his eyes, hoping that his imagination could come up with something. Soon, the world went quiet as his mind wandered. 

When Nathaniel opened his eyes again, he felt unusually groggy. He didn’t remember much after closing his eyes. His head felt like a large weight as he lifted himself from his desk. His muscles felt even more achier than before. Despite his growing discomfort, he had enough energy to lift his clock to check the time, which read 11:11 PM.

“I fell asleep for three hours?” Nathaniel questioned the authenticity of his own statement. How could he be that tired?Regardless of how long he slept, Nathaniel’s main objective was to finish his sketch. He shook himself out of his sleepiness, and looked around his desk to find his missing pencil. Where did it go? He swore he was holding his pencil before. Frustrated, he looked under his desk, and around his room. Nathaniel finally found the pencil on his bed next to a small, lacquered black box. 

_“That’s strange...”_ Nathaniel muttered to himself. He didn’t remember owning anything like this. His drawing forgotten, he picked up the box and shook it. Something rattled inside. It had a huge Chinese symbol on it, which Nathaniel couldn’t read. Should he really be opening a mysterious box with unknown contents? Nathaniel was naturally a curious person, so he felt inclined to discover what was inside. 

He placed his fingers on the smooth box, and reluctantly opened it. A dazzling pendant laid perfectly in the center of the velvet lined interior. Nathaniel’s eyes widened, as he took out the pendant and held it in his hand. It seemed to be a necklace. He never really was a fan of jewelry, but he really wanted to see how it would look if he wore it. He unclipped the clasp, and held the necklace to his neck.

Nathaniel paused, his hands hovering behind his neck. He really shouldn’t. What if this...akumatizes him? He looked at the pendant, dangling on the chain. His curiosity tugged at him to put it on. Nathaniel thought of what to do. In the end, he grabbed a coin from his drawer to decide whether he should wear it. If it landed on heads, he’d put the necklace away and forget about it. If it landed on tails, he’d put it on. Nathaniel flipped the coin in the air, and caught it. It landed on tails. Nathaniel smiled, a new sense of determination filling him. He closed his eyes tight, and put on the necklace. 

He immediately felt something shoot out of it! Nathaniel swiftly opened his eyes, to see a floating, glowing, orange orb in the middle of his room. His mouth fell open in shock. Is the necklace cursed??? He tried to move to take the necklace off, but he was frozen in absolute terror. He could only watch as the orb disappeared, revealing a tiny...creature... floating in its place. The creature’s eyes fluttered open, its purple irises staring into his own. 

_This was a terrible idea._ Nathaniel thought to himself. 

“Hi! I’m Trixx! I’m your kwami!” The self proclaimed kwami flew towards Nathaniel. This triggered his fight or flight response, and he became un-paralyzed. 

“A RAT!!! STAY AWAY!” Nathaniel shrieked, while desperately fumbling to take the necklace off. 

“You must be quiet! Nobody can know about me!” The kwami did its best to shush him, but his mother already heard.

“NATHAN? Are you okay?” His mother called out, running up the stairs. 

For some reason, Nathaniel regretted ever shouting. What would happen if the creature was exposed? He dashed to his door, putting all his weight against it. He was really skeptical of the kwami, but he didn’t wanna take any chances. He could hear his mom on the other side of the door, and he could almost feel the energy coming out of her hand as she turned the knob. The door didn’t budge. 

“Nathaniel??” His mom yelled again. “What’s the matter with you? Open the door, so I can see what you’re yelling about!”

“I’m fine, mom! I was just...pranking you.” That was one of his weaker lies, but his nerves were already shot up, and he never was good at lying on the spot. Why is he acting against himself? He’s so afraid of this thing, but he also is afraid to act against what it says. 

“Well, that wasn’t funny! I was genuinely worried!” Nathaniel’s mom grumbled. 

“I’m sorry mom... I won’t do it again.” Nathaniel apologized, hoping it would make his mom leave.

“Okay, Nathan. If you have any more problems, you can call me at work!” Nathaniel’s mom chimed. Nathaniel heard his mom go back downstairs. He sighed in relief, and turned his attention back to the kwami. It was staring back at him, seeming just as panicked as he was.

“Okay.” Nathaniel took a deep breath. “I must be dehydrated.” He walked to his desk, and greedily chugged down the water. The thing was still there. 

“Maybe I’m half asleep?” Nathaniel stared at the kwami, who was still silent. 

  
  


“I don’t know, this is so freaky. This whole day has been freaky.” Nathaniel finally exhausted himself to the point where he was calm, and cupped his face with his hands, sitting back on his bed. 

“I’m going to start talking now Nath, but you gotta promise me that you’re not gonna freak out.” Trixx spoke up very slowly, trying to be as gentle as he could.

“Yeah. Sorry. I’m really impulsive sometimes. I don’t really know what I was expecting when I put on weird jewelry.” Nathaniel tugged on his hair, feeling really jittery. Even though he protected this thing, he still wasn’t comfortable being around it. 

“Yes, I can see that. You seem to be very cowardly, and low in self confidence, but in the end you make good decisions.” Trixx floated a bit closer to him.

“Ouch. You’re a good judgment of character, but that really stung.” Nathaniel winced from the comment. 

“...Sorry. It’s my habit to analyze my holder. If it helps, I’ve never had a holder like you before.” The kwami smiled.

“Uh...thanks. Can you just tell me what you are?” Nathaniel asked as politely as he could. “I don’t know how long I can keep myself together.”

A wave of silence hit the room, as his kwami looked almost disappointed in his user, which really didn’t help Nathaniel much. The silence was starting to become awkward, but Trixx finally cleared his throat. 

“Well, I’m a kwami, which is a fairy that gives you powers.” Trixx paused, waiting to see if Nathaniel was going to freak out. “I’m bound to your miraculous, which is that necklace around your neck.” Trixx pointed to the pendant on Nathaniel’s chest.

“This is great and all... but powers? You’re kidding me right?” Nathaniel interrupted his kwami. One part of him believed Trixx, because he already seemed to be impossible in Nathaniel’s eyes but here he was. The more realistic part of him, however, was not so easily fooled. Maybe this was all a fever dream or something. 

“Yes! I give you the power of the fox! You are a master of stealth and illusion. You just need to say ‘Trixx, transform me!’ to become your alter ego.” 

“Trixx, transfo-?” The kwami quickly flew towards his lips, clamping them shut with his flipper to avoid him completing the phrase.

“Not yet!” Trixx snapped. “I need to tell you more about your powers before you transform. Honestly, I don’t really give you much powers besides your ultimate ability, which is Mirage. You can create any illusion you desire. However, you have limited time before you transform back after using your ultimate ability. The rest of my abilities depend on how well you adjust to them.” Trixx was rambling, which honestly confused Nathaniel but he went with it anyways.

“And those abilities are...?” Nathaniel questioned.

“I give you great agility, and heightened senses. You can jump higher than anyone in Paris.” Trixx said proudly.

“So you basically make me into a costumed acrobat.” Nathaniel smirked.

“Hey! So are all the other heroes!” Trixx pouted. Nathaniel stayed silent, realizing that Trixx was totally right. 

“Soooo,” the kwami floated around his head. “Now that I told you everything, are you ready to transform?” 

Nathaniel shifted, really unsure of what to do. He didn’t feel like a superhero, so why was this power suddenly given to him? 

“I don’t know...” Nathaniel admitted.

“What do you mean?” Trixx’s ears perked up, curious about what Nathaniel had to say. 

“You said yourself that I’m a coward. I’m not superhero material.” Nathaniel sighed in defeat. 

“Don’t say that. You proved that you want to protect people today!” 

“One act of heroism doesn’t mean I’m cut out to be a superhero!” Agitation grew inside Nathaniel as he turned towards his kwami. “My head is in the clouds all the time, and I’m weak. I’ll never be able to protect what I want.” 

Trixx’s mouth pursed shut, seeming to contemplate what he said. Nathaniel didn’t want to tell the kwami the truth, but it was for the better that he wouldn’t be given the power. He didn’t deserve it. 

“Well, are you gonna give up the chance to protect what you want?” Trixx asked thoughtfully. 

Nathaniel’s mind jumped to his class being in danger, but him, Ladybug, and Cat Noir saving the day. He could feel his heart swell as he pictured Marinette, scared in the crowd, running over to hug him in thanks. He really wanted this opportunity. Maybe...he won’t screw up. 

“Well, if you believe in me, I won’t.” Nathaniel felt guilty for changing his mind. He knew he wasn’t cut out, but why does he want this so badly? 

“You’re gonna do great.” Trixx smiled reassuringly. “Just say the magic words.” 

Nathaniel bit his lip, feeling apprehensive about transforming. He quietly snuck to his door, peeking outside to make sure that his mom wasn’t there anymore. She usually works the night shifts as a nurse, but he wanted to make sure she was really gone before he attempted anything. It was quiet all throughout the house, so he assumed she wasn’t there. For extra precaution, he locked the door. 

“Okay.” Nathaniel sighed. “Trixx, Transform me!” 

Trixx spun into his necklace, and it shined bright. Nathaniel felt energy filling him, and his clothes got engulfed with the same orange light that Trixx was made from earlier. Colorful material replaced his regular clothing, and a beret sprung from his hair. When the energy vanished, Nathaniel decided to check himself out in the mirror. He was in awe of his transformation. His hair was still a bright red but it was wavy and swept to the side, similar to how he imagined himself as the Illustrator. He had a black beret on his head, with decoration that looked like fox ears on top. He had a black belt with a flute tucked in it, and when he turned around it looked like a tail. He also had black boots and gloves. The black blended perfectly with the orange and white in the costume. Nathaniel has never felt so much like a fox. He confidently did a final spin around to check out his entire costume in the mirror, satisfied with how it looked.

“Jeez, you weren’t kidding when you said you were the fox miraculous.” Nathaniel said to Trixx, who was nowhere to be found. He was, at first, confused to where he went, but his silver pendant turned into a fox tail, and that explained everything to him.

“Oh...right.” Nathaniel laughed awkwardly to himself. Not really knowing what to do, Nathaniel decided it would be best to start out slow, and go outside.

“Welp.” Nathaniel opened his usually heavy window with ease. “Let’s get into mischief.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to draw Nathaniel’s hero form! Feel free to check it out ;)  
> https://dorkaster.tumblr.com/post/190747236100/drew-nathaniels-superhero-and-civilian-form-for


	3. Chapter 3: The Fox and the Bug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel gets used to his powers/abilities and meets Ladybug for the first time...as Feunard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fire Fox art, and other stuff can be found in my tumblr blog: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/wiccanling

Nathaniel would normally never dream of disobeying his mother and sneaking out. However, the feeling of being a superhero exhilarated him and allowed him to indulge in the more rebellious side of him. He had to admit, he was a mess as he climbed out of his window and scaled up to the roof of his house. His window was in a very hidden spot, but that didn’t stop him from worrying about getting caught. He also was afraid of falling down to the cold pavement below, which was at least 15 feet away. At least his fear gave him an iron grip on the wall he was climbing. He quickly utilized his agility and leaped to the vines that clung along the wall which led to the roof. When he got on the roof, he felt even more worried about leaving the comfort of his home. There is no turning back from being a superhero once he decides to venture from the spot he was standing. Was he willing to trust Trixx? To trust himself??

Taking a deep breath, Nathaniel decided to test out the abilities that Trixx told him about on his roof first, before adventuring. He remembered the flute in his belt, to which he took out. He had no idea how to play the flute, but he put the instrument to his lips anyway. A pleasant sound emitted from the flute to his surprise. An orange energy orb was glowing at the tip of the flute, waiting to be used. 

Nathaniel instinctually recognized this as his ultimate ability. He kept in mind the rules of detransformation and decided not to use Mirage yet. Nathaniel instead tested his leaping ability. If Trixx was telling the truth, Nathaniel expected to go soaring by taking a single step. Nathaniel already wasn’t a fan of heights, although for some reason the actual thought of him in the air was less scary with the suit on. He held his breath, constricting his leg muscles, and preparing to jump. He didn’t want too much pressure in his jump, because he didn’t want to jump that high. As gently as he could, he launched himself off the ground and squeaked in surprise. He lept at least 50 feet in the air. Nathaniel had no idea how to land, but he felt like a feather as his feet automatically touched the roof, balancing on the top perfectly. Nathaniel was surprised that his footsteps made no noise, even when he was jumping. A new boost of confidence rushed through Nathaniel’s veins, as he decided to take a leap of faith to his neighbor’s roof. What’s the harm, if his neighbors couldn’t hear his footsteps? Gathering as much momentum as he could, he charged towards the edge and jumped at the last second. He honestly didn’t think it through, but it felt like his anxiety was flying away with him. He barely made it, but he still managed to land safety onto his neighbor’s roof without making a sound. Nathaniel laughed quietly to himself, looking back to his own house. If he were to try any of this without the suit, he probably would slip from his roof and have multiple fractured bones without making it to the jumping part. His gaze turned towards his black-gloved hands, feeling a new sense of power surging through him. Slowly, he was jumping from roof to roof and getting more precise with his landings. Before he knew it, he found himself on top of the Eiffel Tower, successfully scaling and jumping his way undetected. Nathaniel felt a newfound fondness for stealth thanks to his powers. 

The view of Paris from his house had nothing to being on top of the Eiffel Tower. Words couldn’t describe how beautiful everything was. It made him forget his fear of heights, his fear of akumatization, his fears of everything for just a moment. The whole city was glowing, and he could hear almost every sound that was emitted. But nobody could hear him. It felt so beautiful...yet so desolate. Despite all the people below him and the lights around him, Nathaniel never felt more alone. He sighed, looking at his flute and the orange orb glowing from it. He felt a strange emptiness, wishing to see Trixx again. Maybe he should detransform. Quiet footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts, as he felt mental alarm bells clattering against his skull from the thought of being detected. Was this a friend, or a foe? What can he do? How was he going to explain—

“I didn’t expect someone to take my patrolling spot.” Ladybug emerged from the shadows, and onto the balcony to meet Nathaniel’s suspicious glare. Seeing Ladybug, he lit up in surprise and immediately relaxed. 

“Ah! Sorry. I just decided to come up here since there’s really nowhere to go.” Nathaniel’s voice was surprisingly smooth and clear, very unlike his normal voice. 

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a nice place to go to. Cat Noir usually is up here instead of me, but he’s patrolling the south side of the city tonight. Guess it’s your lucky day.” Ladybug’s gaze lingered on him as she walked to the rails that overlooked the city. Nathaniel jumped down from his spot to join the heroine, taking her eyes as an invitation to be in her company. 

“You don’t seem too surprised that I’m a new hero.” He spoke up, examining Ladybug’s gorgeous side profile. The lights illuminated her skin and blue eyes perfectly. He wished that he had his sketchbook so he can capture her beauty since he would never be able to get this close to her as Nathaniel. 

Ladybug’s light voice grabbed his attention back to reality. Daydreaming would always be his weakness, a superhero, or not. 

“A new hero joining us was bound to happen, I’m not really shocked about it.” Ladybug smiled, turning herself towards Nathaniel. “What’s your name?” 

“My name’s...” Nathaniel paused. He didn’t really think about it until now. “...Feunard.” 

“That name does fit! Your hair looks like fire.” Ladybug’s lips were pressed together, while obviously squinting to see the details in his costume. Nathaniel found this especially cute, her habit reminding him of Marinette since she does the same thing when she’s thinking about her next fashion ideas. 

He never imagined in a million years that he’d be having a casual conversation with Ladybug, but the weird day didn’t disappoint him. She was even more confident and perfect than he imagined her to be. 

“As does your name. You’re as bright and vibrant as a Ladybug.” He blurted in a surprisingly husky tone. Again, he wasn’t acting like himself...moreso how he wants to be. 

Ladybug looked at him, a grin quickly spreading across her face. 

“Y’know, Cat Noir is such a flirt. It’s a nice change to have someone more poetic with their one-liners.” Her smile was so pleasing, so kind. He felt a familiar feeling in that moment. A fire ignited in his heart, and the world suddenly felt less lonely by her side. Every part of him wanted to stay next to her forever. 

“I’m kinda new to all this, including one-liners.” Nathaniel mumbled more to himself, trying his best not to be awkward. He was trying not to be Nathaniel. 

“Pfff, are you gonna keep smiling at me like that?” Ladybug asked, trying to imitate his goofy grin. In realization, Nathaniel started to feel his awkwardness creep back, and looked at the view in front of him, instead of beside him. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Ladybug’s smile faltered, seeing Feunard quickly retract from her. 

Nathaniel couldn’t help but flinch, feeling his insecurities seep back in. “I’m fine, I’m just getting used to all of this.” 

“Why did you accept the responsibility?” Ladybug redirected the conversation, turning her attention towards the view as well. 

“What do you mean?” The question caught Nathaniel off guard. 

“We all have reasons for accepting the responsibility of being a holder to a miraculous, so what’s yours?” Ladybug asked. 

“I guess there are people who I want to protect...” Nathaniel felt himself getting lost in his own daydreams again, imagining Marinette. 

“We all do have people we want to protect.” Ladybug agreed. “But we have to remember that we’re Paris’s protectors, not just their protectors.”

“What do you mean?” Nathaniel cocked his head in curiosity. It was his turn to ask Ladybug questions.

“I can tell you for sure that superheroes have their preferences. Sometimes protecting certain people can be such a chore.” She huffed. Nathaniel saw Ladybug’s face sour, probably remembering some problematic people. 

He couldn’t help but laugh at her. It felt disrespectful to laugh at Ladybug, especially in her presence, but she just reminded him too much of how Marinette talks to Adrien. They both get super pouty and moody when dealing with people they dislike. It was adorable.

“It wasn’t that funny!” Ladybug’s cheeks puffed up, obviously flustered. She almost acts exactly like Marinette when she’s this way. It was a good reminder to Nathaniel that even though that Ladybug and Cat Noir are Paris’s saviors, they too are humans behind the mask, just like him. 

“Excuse my manners. You just remind me so much of a person I know.” Nathaniel’s laugh traveled through the air but was lost to the city. Judging by Ladybug’s face, however, it wasn’t lost to her ears. 

The air got quiet again. 

“Honestly, though” Nathaniel continued his initial thought from the start. “I have no idea why I was chosen to be this superhero. I never considered myself the heroic type.” 

Ladybug didn’t look confused as Nathaniel expected. She looked almost...sympathetic? 

“Yeah.” Ladybug‘s laugh was quieter, almost sounding reflective. “I can’t figure it out either. Why was this power gifted to a girl who can’t even think straight?” 

“What are you talking about? You’re one of the quickest thinkers I know! You dealt with that akuma perfectly today!” Nathaniel rambled, not standing for Ladybug to put down herself. 

“...Akuma? Feunard, we didn’t have an akuma attack today.” Ladybug’s eyebrow perked in confusion. 

“What? What are you talking about? I-“ 

“Feunard, even if we somehow forgot about an akuma attack, the Ladyblog would have posted about it! There are no posts, see?” Ladybug pulled out her yo-yo and showed Nathaniel the Ladyblog, which had no report of an akuma attack happening today.

Nathaniel felt his jaw slack with shock. Was this possible? How was all of Paris’s memory wiped of the attack? Why can he still remember? If the attack was erased, then his heroism was erased! Why does he have this miraculous then? Was Trixx lying to him the whole time about why he received the miraculous? 

Before he could respond, before he could tell Ladybug that he knows the attack happened because he was there, her yo-yo beeped in alarm. Ladybug quickly read the text and sprung into action. 

“Cat Noir is fighting an akuma, and he’s losing badly. He needs our help.” Ladybug jumped on the railing, already preparing herself to swing to his location. Nathaniel felt almost...disoriented on Ladybug's change. Was the smiling girl laughing at his one-liners really the same girl who is standing so powerfully in front of him now?

“Are you ready? Do you grasp your abilities?” She looked at him expectantly. 

Nathaniel froze. He wasn’t sure what to do. He doesn’t have any combat experience with his abilities, or really in general! How on earth could he function?

“I-“

Ladybug was waiting for his response. She was counting on it. 

“I’m ready as I’ll ever be...” Nathaniel let out a shaky breath, joining her on the railing. He felt himself, the real Nathaniel crashing back through his newfound Feunard persona. The height didn’t bother him before, but he was suddenly aware that he was hundreds of feet off the ground, and it scared him. Almost as much as the thought of fighting an akuma.

“Welcome to the team.” Ladybug stared ahead. “Let’s go akuma catching.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the sudden hiatus! My personal life has been rough recently. I hope this chapter was enjoyable. I haven't really had the inspiration to write as of late. But I'm slowly getting back into it! I actually have an outline planned for this story. This was the first time I didn't free-write something (surprisingly). Hopefully, as I get more experienced, my writing will feel less like an Elder Scrolls: Oblivion NPC conversation haha


	4. A Different Path Before it Started

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feunard and Ladybug are on their way to help Cat Noir... but one event can change the course of their paths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this in one night with no sleep, I apologize if there are any spelling errors!

_What am I doing??_ played over and over in Nathaniel’s head as he followed close behind the masked heroine. He didn’t expect to immediately jump into a battle after receiving his miraculous. He felt his confidence drip away, even more, seeing how professional Ladybug was compared to him, even at agility! She swung around so fast and graceful with her yo-yo, while he was barely managing to keep up on foot. 

Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated his landing because he was thinking so much. Nathaniel surprisingly slipped, his body hitting the roof with a heavy thud. 

“Feunard! Are you okay?” Ladybug swung back to him, helping the very humiliated Feunard back on his feet. 

“Yeah, sorry. I was...distracted.” Feunard murmured. 

Ladybug gave him a reassuring smile. “This is probably your first night on the job. Don’t think about it too hard! We are all bound to mess up at times, it’s only natural.” 

He might as well die right now. It’ll save him from the embarrassment of getting his ass kicked by an akuma in front of Paris’s heroes. How was he supposed to be their equals if he can’t even keep himself steady in front of them? 

A shaky scream cut through the air, startling both him and Ladybug. Nathaniel snapped out of his doubt, quickly regaining his attentive Feunard persona. 

“Are we near the akuma?” Feunard questioned, dusting himself off from the fall. 

“No, I don’t know where that scream came from.” Ladybug replied, concerned. 

Feunard looked around, trying to sense the direction. The scream sounded like an older woman.

“Please help!” The same voice shouted again. 

Feunard’s head jerked towards the shout. They needed to go there right away. 

“Feunard... we need to go to the akuma. Cat Noir can’t hold on for much longer.” Ladybug held onto his arm, seemingly to keep him on task. 

“What about the woman?” Feunard questioned. Was she suggesting to abandon a helpless woman in trouble?

“...The akuma is our priority.” She said quietly. Ladybug’s eyes lowered, avoiding his gaze. 

Feunard couldn’t believe his ears. He yanked his arm out of Ladybug’s grip, glaring at her. 

“Go.” Feunard barked. “I’ll handle this situation.”

“What about the akuma?” Ladybug asked, her brows furrowing.

“You and Noir can handle it on your own. I’ll rejoin you, once I confirm that whoever was yelling is okay.” 

Ladybug nodded hesitantly and continued on the original route to Cat Noir. Feunard turned his head back in the direction of the scream. He focused on scoping the area, until he found an old lady crying on the ground. 

He jumped down, kneeling next to her. She had a few scrapes and was awfully frightened. 

His presence seemed to startle her, as her eyes filled with terror at the sight of him.

“Please! Don’t hurt me! You already took everything that I have!” She shielded herself with her arms, shaking.

Feunard’s heart broke in two. “Please, don’t be afraid of me, ma’am. I’m here to help you. What happened?” He gently placed his hands on her arms, lowering them. 

“...A group of men attacked me and stole my purse. They also took a brooch that I bought for my granddaughter.” The old woman’s eyes filled up with tears. 

Feunard’s heavy heart was replaced with a burning rage. Why would anybody rob an old woman, and harm her like this?! Feunard stood up, while also helping the woman to her feet. 

“Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ll get your things back. Which direction did they run off to?” Feunard asked.

“Oh, please don’t young man!” The woman cried. “Those men were at least twice your size, and they were armed.” 

Ah, yes. His height. Feunard suppresses a huff of annoyance. He knew the lady meant well, but his height was always a sore spot with him. Although she was right to point it out, Feunard will have to take **that** into account. 

“It’s okay, ma’am. I’ll be safe.” Feunard did his best to reassure her. He honestly had no clue how bad he’d get beaten up, but it couldn’t be worse than his old bullies. “Please, point where you saw them go.” He repeated. 

The old woman pointed to a corner. 

“They disappeared behind that building.” 

Feunard nodded. “Please wait for me at the police station. I’ll be back with your things.” He intended to make that a promise. 

“Be careful, and stay safe, young man!” The old woman doted. 

Feunard dashed to the corner but was sure to flash the woman a smile. “All foxes take careful steps.” He called. 

Feunard quickly got to work, jumping on the roof for a better view. He was looking for a group of men, with a purse of all things. Even if his eyesight is better as Feunard, it will be hard to find a little detail like that. It doesn’t help that he didn’t ask the old lady what the men were wearing. 

_Ugh! You’re stupid!_ Feunard felt the Nathaniel part of him scolding himself. 

Feunard clenched his teeth, shaking it off. He needed to focus if he was going to find these thieves. He took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself down. However, he also picked up a familiar scent in the air, albiet faint. 

_Did I always have this strong of a nose?_ Feunard thought, perplexed. He inhaled deeply again, picking up a stronger scent in the air. He recognized it as the old lady! 

He followed the trail until he heard distant cackling. Feunard, from the roof, looked down into an alleyway to find a group of men. 

_1...2...3...4..5..?_ Feunard counted to himself, sizing up his enemies. They had to be at least 6 feet tall, and they were all very heavyset. He definitely was way over his head, throwing any thoughts of initial physical combat out of the window. 

“Heya, Bandit. We got ya a steal...literally.” One of the goons snickered. Feunard didn’t notice that there was a 6th figure in the alleyway until the goon approached them. 

A beautiful young woman stepped out from the shadow. She has a solid build, although she was covered with a cowl so it was hard to see. Her hair was raven-colored and cut short. Despite the lower half of her face being concealed, Feunard could tell that she had a very stern face; her rich brown eyes commanded respect. He wasn’t surprised that she seemed to be their leader. 

She examined the brooch with disinterest, while totally ignoring the purse. 

“This isn’t worth anything.” She snapped, throwing the brooch to the ground. It broke into pieces. 

Feunard’s lip curled in disdain. How could somebody have such little worth or respect for items? 

“Sorry, boss.” Goon number 3 mumbled. “We tried to go for jewelry, just like you said.” 

“Well, examine the type of jewelry, first! That was a fake ruby, it was made of carved glass. You could even feel how cheap it was. You should know better!” The woman, who Feunard assumed is Bandit rolled her eyes. 

Feunard couldn’t help but grumble in annoyance. How selfish could one be? To add on top of that, a coward. If she knew so much about expensive jewelry, she should be the one thieving in the streets. 

Bandit suddenly perked up, darting her eyes around in alarm. 

“We aren’t alone, boys.” She whispered. 

Feunard jerked up in surprise. How did she detect him? Was it his annoyed sigh? How could she hear something that was barely audible to even him? 

The goons formed a defensive circle around Bandit, pulling out various melee weapons. Feunard facepalmed, swearing in his head. Why did he always make things difficult for himself? 

Finally, it was a good time to use Mirage. Feunard thought of an illusion that would scare these goons shitless. He finally came up with a plan and played a beautiful melody from his flute. 

“Why so defensive, fellas?” Feunard emerged from the roof, alongside Ladybug and Cat Noir. Well, his illusions of Ladybug and Cat Noir, but they didn’t need to know that. 

The thieves’ eyes all widened like saucers, almost displaying the same amount of fear as the old lady probably displayed to them. That thought gave Feunard satisfaction. 

“Why’re you all just standing there??” Bandit’s eyes flashed with anger. “ATTACK THEM!” 

Instead, Bandit’s goons quickly fled. 

“No thank you!” 

“Cat Noir and Ladybug are a whole other level. I don’t even wanna know the new guy.”

“Imma head out-" 

Feunard saw that the goons took the purse with them. The brooch was gone, he promised to give the old lady back something. 

Feunard stared back down at Bandit, who was frozen in shock by her minions’ betrayal.

“Save the intro, we’ll get to know each other really soon.” Feunard saluted at the woman. She soon came recovered from her shock and hissed at him. The arm cuffs she was wearing unraveled into two whips. Feunard shrugged and sent his illusions after Bandit to scare her. He did want to catch the big bad, but he wanted to bring the old lady back something even more. She seemed powerless without her goons anyways. But he did keep in mind that she seemed to be a miraculous holder, based on her little arm cuff trick. 

Bandit’s eyes widened as “Ladybug” and “Cat Noir” sprung towards her with their Lucky Charm and Cataclysm respectively. Judging by a sharp “shit” escaping from her lips, she wasn’t expecting them to go after her with their ultimate abilities. Like all villains when faced with an actual threat, she fled. 

After Feunard was sure that Bandit ran away, he then dashed off in the goons’ directions looking to fetch the purse. Feunard was expecting his timer to beep for his miraculous like he observed Cat Noir's and Ladybug's miraculous doing, but the tail remained at 4 charges. Confused, he tried to play the flute again, and another orange beam erupted from it. A piece of the tail turned grey. 

_Ah, so that’s how it works_. 

He finally caught up to the unaware goons and wondered how he could stop them. He ran ahead, looking to see if he can use the environment to his advantage. He noticed that the goons foolishly into another alleyway, which wasn’t a dead-end this time. They were not aware that Feunard could see them trying to run to a different street. 

An idea sprouted in Feunard’s head, as he quickly shot the energy beam towards the alleyway. It turned into a wall; the goons were apparently trapped in. They spun around to run out the open side, but Feunard was blocking their path. 

“Sorry to back you against a wall...literally,” Feunard smirked, twirling his flute in his hand. 

One of the goons’ faces turned from confused, to mocking. “We thought you were an actual threat. You’re nothing but a little man! Is Ladybug taller than you?” He bellowed. 

“Haha, yes very funny. I’m short.” Feunard responded. “If we’re done making fun of my height now, how about you fight me, and see how much of a threat I am.” 

The goons stopped laughing, looking almost offended. “Are you saying you can take all of us on?” 

_ Probably not, but I’m feeling cocky today... _

“Yeeeup! You guys look like a bunch of chumps.” Feunard shrugged casually. 

“At least we don’t frolic around in tights all night. Bring it, Pied Piper!” One of the goons roared. 

All 5 goons charged at Feunard. Normally, Nathaniel would be pissing in his pants and running the opposite direction right now, but Feunard surprisingly felt thrilled at the thought of a fight. 

Quickly playing his tune once more, Feunard shot the beam into the ground and multiplied into clones. The goons practically screeched to a halt, seeming bewildered at the sight. 

“What sort of hocus pocus is this??” 

All at once, Feunard and his clones leaped into the goons. Bewilderment became utter terror, as the goons started swinging wildly at any clone that ambushed them. 

Feunard took down the goons one by one, catching them off guard while they were fighting his clones. The goons were stupider than he thought. They didn’t even notice that the clones disintegrate when they’re touched. 

After kicking a few faces, and somehow mustering the strength for good punches, Feunard stood victorious among the knocked out goons. He grabbed the purse out of one of their hands and notified the police to take care of the rest. He gently touched the wall to disintegrate it. 

Despite getting the purse back, his job felt incomplete. 

_The brooch!_ He remembered. 

Before the police could arrive, Feunard fled back to the old alleyway to collect the broken pieces of the brooch, and to see if Bandit somehow foolishly returned. It was abandoned, as he expected. He tried to look for footprints on the ground but was unsuccessful. There was still the broken brooch on the ground, which Feunard dejectedly picked up. The brooch was a sign that he failed. It was broken, no illusion he could do can fix it. 

Feunard sighed and made his way back to the police station. 

By the time he got there, the police already had all the goons in custody. He spotted the old lady, with a blanket wrapped around her. When the old lady spotted him, her face instantly perked with relief. 

“Thank goodness! I was worried sick when they were hauling in those guys, and you were nowhere to be found. I couldn’t live with myself if you got hurt.” The lady was clutching her blanket around her tightly. 

Feunard couldn’t help but smile at how caring this woman was. She didn’t deserve to be a victim of those robbers. Remembering why he was there in the first place, he took the purse out from his belt and handed it to the woman.

“You got my purse back?” The woman gasped in surprise, holding her purse close. “Thank you!” 

“Don’t thank me yet...” Nathaniel sighed. He slowly opened his hand, revealing the shattered brooch. 

The woman’s face fell slightly but still remained smiling. She carefully took the pieces out of his hand and put them in her pocket. 

“Don’t worry yourself, young man. You’ve already done so many noble things. A brooch is insignificant compared to all of the good things you did for me tonight.” The lady gently squeezed his hand, hoping to lift his spirits.

Seeing that the lady wasn’t disappointed eased his self-criticism. 

“Tell me young man, what’s your name?” The lady asked him. 

Feunard debated if he should tell her his real name or his superhero name. He didn’t want this lady to know the weak Nathaniel that he truly was. 

“My name’s-“ 

A couple of police officers scurried past them, in a rush. 

“I can’t believe that the akuma is actually winning against Ladybug and Cat Noir!”

“How are we supposed to fight that thing? We’re toast, if it defeats the best heroes in Paris.” 

“I can’t believe that they’re making us drive all the way to the Catacombs, we’re never gonna make it in time.” 

Feunard’s ears immediately picked up on the frantic conversation. Thoughts filled his head, specifically shock. Ladybug did mention that Cat Noir was getting defeated, but the akuma is defeating Ladybug too? 

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I need to go. Others need my help.” Feunard patted the lady’s hand and let go. 

“But you never gave me your name!” The lady called out. 

Feunard was already running in the direction of the Catacombs, but briefly turned around to face her. 

“Call me Feunard.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check out art relating to this AU, drop by my tumblr at: https://wiccanling.tumblr.com/


End file.
